Congress Manifesto Highlights for Telangana Polls: 70 Promises Unveiled

Hyderabad: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday released the Congress manifesto for Telangana Assembly polls scheduled to be held on November 30.

Kharge, who released the manifesto in the presence of TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy and CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at Gandhi Bhavan promised that the Congress will implement the manifesto along with 'six guarantees' in letter and spirit, if it is voted to power in Telangana.

Manifesto highlights

1. Restore democratic governance as per the spirit and wishes of the Telangana people.

2. Hold "Praja Darbar" (public court) every day at the Chief Minister's camp office.

3. Monthly honorary pension of Rs 25,000 to the parents or spouse of the martyrs of the first and second phases of the Telangana movement, and provide a government job to one member of their family.

4. Withdraw cases against the Telangana movement activists and allocate them a 250 yards house site.

5. Waive off crop loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh.

6. Farmers will be given interest-free crop loans of up to Rs 3 lakh.

7. Farmers will be provided with uninterrupted free power for 24 hours.

8. A comprehensive crop insurance scheme will be provided for all major crops.

9. A judicial inquiry will be conducted by a sitting High Court judge into all irregularities and corruption in the construction of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.

10. In accordance with 73 and 74 constitutional amendments, the three tier system of local bodies will be rejuvenated with their past glory by assigning the responsibilities, funds and management of local development works.

11. All vacant teacher posts will be filled through Mega DSC within 6 months.

13. A rural youth financial corporation will be set up with initial capital of Rs. 1000 crores to provide self employment opportunities by encouraging startups and small and medium scale industries.

14. Annual job calendars will be released and 2 lakhs vacant posts will be filled transparently within a specified time period.

15. Free internet through Wi-Fi facilities will be provided to all students.

16. Increase the allocation of the budget for the education sector from the present 6% to 15%.

17. The monthly salary of mid-day meal workers working in all government schools will be increased to Rs 10,000.

18. Around 6,000 closed government schools will be reopened with better facilities.

19. Four more IIITs will be set up similar to Basara IIIT.

20. Knee surgery will be included under the Arogyasri scheme.

21."Bhumata" portal will be introduced in place of the Dharani portal and justice will be done to all farmers who have lost their land rights.

22. Establish the "Land Commission" to resolve all land rights issues.

23. Provide full land rights to the beneficiaries on 25 lakh acres that were distributed to the poor through land reforms.

24. Provide a monthly honorarium of Rs. 1,500 to village panchayat ward members.

25. An honorary pension will be paid to ex sarpanches, ex-MPTCs and ex-ZPTC members.

26. Village volunteers system will be introduced to help target groups to access various government programmes for the rural people.

27. Immediate payment of three DAs arrears that are pending to all government employees and pensioners.

28. Abolish the current Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and re-introduce the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

29. New PRC for government employees and TSRTC staff, and implement its recommendations within 6 months.

30. Ensure payment of salaries of government employees on the 1st of every month.

31. Increase the monthly salary of anganwadi teachers to Rs 18,000 and
also they will be brought under EPF coverage to ensure their job
security.

32. Along with completion of the merger of TSRTC into the government, we will immediately pay the two PRC arrears to RTC workers.

33. Provide financial assistance of Rs. 12,000 per year to every auto rickshaw driver.

34. Pending traffic challans will be cleared with a 50% discount through a one time settlement scheme.

35. Completely abolish belt shops.

36. Establish three new corporations for the Madigas, Malas, and other SC sub-castes after the SC categorisation.

38. Provide increased reservations based on population for BCs after conducting a "caste census" for BCs.

39. Provide 5% reservation for nomadic tribes/denotified tribes in education and employment opportunities.

40. Establish a "BC Bhavan" in the name of Professor Jayashankar in every district headquarters.

41. Name Jangaon district after Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud district.

42. Establish corporations for all castes of backward classes.

43. Implement a sub-plan for Backward Classes (BCs).

44. Establish a special welfare board for EBCs.

45. Institute a minority sub-plan with adequate funds.

46. Provide Rs 1,00,000 and 10 grams of gold as Indiramma gift to the Hindu and Rs. 1,60,000 for the minority girls at the time of their marriage.

47. Review and simplify the policy of compassionate appointments in the Singareni collieries.

48. Will not allow the privatisation of the Singareni company under any circumstances.

49. Bring the beedi workers under the purview of life insurance and ESI.

50. Increase the ex-gratia for toddy tappers who have deceased accidentally to Rs. 10 lakh.

51. Provide Rs 2 lakhs through DBT directly to Yadavas and Kurmas for sheep rearing without middlemen.

52. Provide social security to unorganised workers, such as construction workers, autorickshaw drivers, cab drivers, working for companies such as Swiggy, Zomato, Ola & Uber inline with the Rajasthan model.

53. Revive the "Bangaru Thalli" scheme to provide financial assistance for every girl child born.

54. Provide free electric scooters to every girl studying higher education and are above the age of 18.

55. Establish "Old Age Homes" in all district headquarters.

56. Issue of long pending house site allotment for Journalists in Hyderabad city will be resolved immediately.

57. Provide Rs 5 lakh in cash to the families of deceased journalists.

58. Monthly honorarium of Rs 5,000 to public distribution ration dealers in the state.

59. Supply fine rice on white ration cards.

60. Establish a welfare board for Gulf workers.

61. Increase the monthly pension for the disabled to Rs 6,000.

62. Issue gender reassignment certificates and identity cards to transgender people.

63. Establish a residential sports school in each district.

64. Immediately resolve all the problems of home guards along with salary revisions.

65. Pay a monthly pension of Rs. 3,000 to folk artists over the age of 50.

66. Osmania hospital structure will be preserved as a Heritage monument, while ensuring modern health care infrastructure is developed within the hospital campus.

67. Construct new metro routes on the LB Nagar - Aramghar - Mehdipatnam - BHEL routes.

68. Modernize the drains to make Hyderabad a flood-free city.

69. Waive penalties on property tax and house tax arrears in municipalities, corporations, and gram panchayats across the state.

70. Establish Basti public schools with all modern facilities in municipal and municipality centers.